MID-DAY: Energy sector weighing down TSX

Canada’s main stock market started out on a slightly higher note this morning but has given those gains back.

The materials and energy sectors are weighing things down. Meanwhile farmers in the prairies aren’t happy with the canola crisis. China is blocking massive amounts of Canadian canola from entering their country and farmers are putting the blame squarely on the prime minister.

The TSX is down 18 points to 16,114.

On Wall Street things are slightly positive as investors seems optimistic on trade talks with China as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer are in Beijing to try to get a deal worked out. The Dow Jones is up 19 points at 25,645.

At press time oil is down 55 cents to $58.86 U.S. per barrel, gold is down $19.40 to $1,297.50 an ounce, and the loonie is down a shade to 74.51 cents U.S.